Saturday, 21 June 2014

“My masters are
strange folk with very little care for music in them.” - Johann Sebastian BachThe Brandenburg Concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV 1046–1051, original title: Six Concerts
à plusieurs instruments) are a collection of six instrumental works presented
by Bach to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, in 1721 (though
probably composed earlier). They are widely regarded as some of the best
orchestral compositions of the Baroque era.Bach’s
dedication to the Margrave was dated 24 March 1721. Most likely, Bach composed
the concertos over several years while Kapellmeister at Köthen, and possibly
extending back to his employment at Weimar (1708–17). The first sentence of
Bach’s dedication reads:As I had the
good fortune a few years ago to be heard by Your Royal Highness, at Your
Highness's commands, and as I noticed then that Your Highness took some
pleasure in the little talents which Heaven has given me for Music, and as in
taking Leave of Your Royal Highness, Your Highness deigned to honour me with
the command to send Your Highness some pieces of my Composition: I have in
accordance with Your Highness’s most gracious orders taken the liberty of
rendering my most humble duty to Your Royal Highness with the present
Concertos, which I have adapted to several instruments; begging Your Highness
most humbly not to judge their imperfection with the rigour of that
discriminating and sensitive taste, which everyone knows Him to have for
musical works, but rather to take into benign Consideration the profound
respect and the most humble obedience which I thus attempt to show Him.The dedication
page Bach wrote for the collection indicates they are Concerts avec plusieurs
instruments (Concertos with several instruments). Bach used the “widest
spectrum of orchestral instruments ... in daring combinations” as Christoph
Wolff has commented. “Every one of the six concertos set a precedent in
scoring, and every one was to remain without parallel.” Heinrich Besseler has
noted that the overall forces required (leaving aside the first concerto, which
was rewritten for a special occasion) tallies exactly with the 17 players Bach
had at his disposal in Köthen. Because King Frederick William I of Prussia was
not a significant patron of the arts, Christian Ludwig seems to have lacked the
musicians in his Berlin ensemble to perform the concertos.The full score was
left unused in the Margrave’s library until his death in 1734, when it was sold
for 24 groschen (as of 2008, about US$22.00) of silver. The autograph
manuscript of the concertos was only rediscovered in the archives of
Brandenburg by Siegfried Wilhelm Dehn in 1849; the concertos were first published
in the following year. In the modern era these works have been performed by
orchestras with the string parts each played by a number of players, under the
batons of, for example, Karl Richter and Herbert von Karajan. They have also
been performed as chamber music, with one instrument per part, especially by
(but not limited to) groups using baroque instruments and (sometimes more,
sometimes less) historically informed techniques and practice. There is also an
arrangement for four-hand piano duet by composer Max Reger.

Friday, 20 June 2014

“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” - James Beard
Readers of my blog, especially on Fridays, are familiar with Food Friday, hosted by Maiylah. She has done an excellent job of hosting this meme and as she is now finding it difficult to host because of other commitments, she has graciously ceded the place of a host to me. I welcome all of your posts, so please link up using the Linky below.
From me, a vegetarian recipe that is nutritious as well as tasty and is popular with kids also.Kidney Bean Burgers

Ingredients1 cup red kidney beans1/2 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs1/4 cup semolina1 very ripe tomato1 onion, gratedsqueeze of lemon or limeSoy sauce to tasteGrated cumin, pepper, nutmeg to tasteoil for fryingMethodSoak kidney beans overnight. The next day, simmer the beans for one to two hours or until tender (this will take longer if the beans have not been soaked). Drain and mash the kidney beans. Chop tomato, and add with the onion to the beans and mix. Add the breadcrumbs and semolina and mix well. Add soy sauce, spices and lime juice. Form into burgers in your hand. Lightly fry until brown on both sides. Serve in toasted wholemeal buns with salad.
Please add your Food Friday blog post below:

Thursday, 19 June 2014

“For the animal
shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they
move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of senses we have lost or
never attained, living by voices we shall never hear.” - Henry Beston
When I lived in
Europe I went to marvellous performance by a group called Cirque du Soleil.
This is a fantastic troupe that has taken the circus and has made it a new
scintillating and mesmerising spectacle. It did away with many of the
traditional circus offerings (for example, no animals are used) and has created
a show that relies on the amazing abilities of the human body. As well as
showcasing incredible feats of acrobatics, juggling, balancing, tight-rope
walking, dancing and clowning around, each show is based on a theme and there
are underlying higher level messages running through each themed performance.
For example, the
first show I saw in Europe was called “Saltimbanco” and was designed to be a
celebration of life. It was “…conceived as an antidote to the violence and
despair so prevalent in the 20th century, this phantasmagoria offers up a new
vision of urban life, overflowing with optimism and joy. Saltimbanco is
anything but linear; rather, it is a kaleidoscope, a whirlwind, an adventure in
which anything can happen. Saltimbanco has its own special language, and its
spirit is conveyed through voice, movement and music.”
Advertising hype
aside, I think it exemplifies how even something like entertainment can keep up
with the spirit of the times. Now that most civilised people around the world
are beginning to be sensitive to animal rights, now that exploiting animals and
torturing them has become a behaviour that is not only unacceptable but in many
countries around the world illegal, a company like Cirque du Soleil has altered
the way that we perceive traditional circus entertainment. Although the animal
acts are gone, the entertainment that has been constructed in their absence has
proved to be enchanting and spellbinding.
Many circuses
still use animals in their shows. The species most commonly involved are
elephants, tigers, bears, lions, horses, ponies, dogs, crocodilians, various
snakes and non-human primates (usually macaque monkeys or chimpanzees).
Occasionally, zebras, giraffes, hippopotamuses and camels can also be found in
circuses and travelling shows. The physical and practical constraints of the
travelling circus environment result in animals being either chained or
confined to transport cages or “beast wagons” at virtually all times when not
performing. They are forced to defaecate, urinate, eat, drink and sleep all in
the same tiny area.
Most wild or
non-domesticated animals retain a need to engage in their instinctive behaviour
patterns. Prolonged confinement frustrates these behaviour patterns, and can
lead to serious psychological distress and the development of abnormal
behaviours. Abnormal aggression, apathy, self-mutilation, and stereotypic
movements such as head-weaving, rocking from side to side, bar-licking and
pacing are relatively common in performing animals, and are indicative of an
abnormal environment.
Trainers
routinely dismiss suggestions that they mistreat the animals under their care,
pointing to the fact that their animals represent a substantial financial
investment, and abuse would jeopardise that investment. Moreover, they argue,
it would be dangerous for trainers to abuse wild animals, along side they would
later have to perform. However, many past trainers have come forth with
shocking reports of animal abuse. For example, former animal trainer Pat Derby
reports having witnessed “…elephants being beaten and electro-shocked in the
vagina, ears, mouth, and anus; bears’ noses broken and their feet burned, and
big cats being struck with wooden bats.” (see: http://www.peta.org/issues/Animals-In-Entertainment/).
It’s time that
we as humans become humane. Not only towards our fellow human beings, but also
towards the other animals that share this planet with us. The arguments for
using these animals for entertainment are simply not logical, compassionate,
civilised or intelligent. Animal-free circuses are not only possible, but more entertaining
and are thankfully becoming more widespread.

Wednesday, 18 June 2014

"Give
us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our
debtors." - New Testament, Matthew, 6:11-12
Nutritional
deficiencies are the world’s greatest health problem, compared to any other
individual disease. Presently, 40 people per minute die worldwide from
malnutrition. Even in the developed countries such as Australia, North America,
Western Europe where the richest people in history live, we find evidence of
nutritional deficiencies. In the 1950s, the world had 3 billion people, and one
person in two went to bed hungry. Today, with 6 billion people, only one person
in five goes to bed hungry, however, the developed nations are even more
prosperous and pay the price of over-eating and obesity-related diseases.
Marasmus is the
generalised wasting away of the body and is the result of deficiency of total
caloric intake, while kwashiorkor is the result of a dietary deficiency of
protein. Both of these disorders are
still disturbingly common in the developing countries of the world and the
victims are unfortunately mostly children. Africa and Asia are the countries
with most of these famine-related problems.
Vitamins are
substances in the diet, which the body needs in small quantities but cannot
manufacture itself and which take part in important metabolic reactions.
Vitamin deficiencies are very unusual to rare in the industrialised countries,
except amongst food faddists. In countries like Australia and the USA it is
often claimed in urban myth that the population has a variety of subtle,
subclinical vitamin deficiencies for which they need to be supplemented with a
variety of available over the counter pills and tablets. These are for the
major part hypothetical deficiencies and if the diet is balanced no need for
vitamin supplements exists. It has been said that the most expensive urine in
the world is produced by Americans, so many of whom take great quantities of
vitamin supplements that they excrete them in enormous quantities in their
urine. By contrast, in the developing
countries, vitamin deficiencies together with other nutritional deficiencies
are still a major cause of disease and death.
Some excellent
charities and international relief organisations exist that are desperately
trying to make this world of ours more equitable, more fair, and attempt to
make life easier for those millions upon millions of disadvantaged who do not
know where their next meal is coming from. Please visit the web links below and
if you can, donate from your surfeit so that those less fortunate can have a
piece of their daily bread:
OxfamCare International: http://www.careinternational.org.uk/

Various: http://www.ethioworld.com/FamineRelief/foreignrelieforganizations.htmThis link is to a very distressing picture by Kevin Carter that encapsulates the
whole of the famine situation so poignantly. However, it is a picture that
illustrates famine so dramatically that it seems to have been what broke this
photographer’s will to live. After being exposed to so many situations like
this, which he photographed, he committed suicide. Please do not look at it if
you are likely to be affected adversely – but it is the truth and reality is
cruel.

Tuesday, 17 June 2014

“A book that is shut is but a
block.” Thomas FullerAt the weekend while browsing in a second-hand
bookshop I came across a fantastic book that I just had to buy! It is called
“At Home with Books” by Estelle Ellis, Caroline Seebohm and Christopher Simon
Sykes, published by Thames & Hudson, London in 1995 but has been reprinted
many times since (attesting to its popularity). Its ISBN 0-500-01684-4 and here is the Amazon link where this book is available and you can even peek
inside it.It is a large format book, lavishly illustrated and deals with how
booklovers deal with the problem of dealing with the space required to house
their book collections. Although some of the libraries illustrated are palatial
to say the least (for example, the Duke of Devonshire’s, Loren & Frances
Rothschild’s or Paul Getty’s), there are also libraries of common mortals,
libraries designed by experts, by amateurs and libraries that “just happened”
without their owners realising it! Towards the back of the book there is a
wonderful section on book storage, conservation, enemies of books, building bookshelves,
library ladders, confessions of bibliophiles and a section on great public
libraries of the world. The book ends with a well-researched Resource Section
on suppliers, rare book dealers, etc.I love this book and I can definitely recommend to anyone who has books
at home, who loves books and who is transported into a state of bliss when they
find themselves in a room full of books. I really had to deal with a serious
case of the drools I got when leafing through this book. I felt a wonderful
sense of kinship with all of the people whose libraries are illustrated inside
and I could definitely nod my head appreciatively when I read some of their
comments that struck familiar chords in my psyche…We are bibliophiles in home and one of the reasons for extending our
home a few years ago was to make more room for bookcases and books. We have
quite a serious collection in several languages and ranging from fiction to
non-fiction. In case you are wondering, no, it is not me in the photograph. It
is an illustration from the book and an image of its cover!bibliophile
|ˈbɪblɪə(ʊ)fʌɪl| nounA person who
collects or has a great love of books.DERIVATIVESbibliophilic |-ˈfɪlɪk|
adjective,bibliophily |-ˈɒfɪli| nounORIGIN early
19th century: From French, from Greek biblion
‘book’ + philos ‘loving’.

Monday, 16 June 2014

“Death may be the greatest of all human
blessings.” – SocratesEuthanasia: The
very word strikes fear or repugnance into many people’s mind. The idea of
deliberately causing someone to die, even if that person wishes it to be so
himself, strikes us as something contrary to the laws of nature, is a thing
proscribed by many religions and is something that is impossible to even
contemplate for many persons.Euthanasia
literally means “a good death” in Greek and is often described as a “mercy
killing” or “assisted suicide”. The issue is one fraught with immense moral and
ethical questions and is highly controversial. Here is a web resource (Stanford
Encyclopaedia of Philosophy) that you may find interesting to consult.The basic
question posed by euthanasia is the following: "Should a person who is
terminally ill, and who feels that their life is not worth living because of intractable pain (and/or
loss of dignity, and/or loss of capability) and who repeatedly and actively
asks for help in committing suicide and who is of sound mind and not suffering
from depression be given assistance in dying?"There are many
people who will without thinking answer immediately and without thought with a
resounding “NO!” to the above question. Others will answer with an unqualified
“yes” and many will find themselves in a dilemma, not being able to make up
their minds finding arguments for both sides of the debate. My offering for
Movie Monday is a film that examines this question of euthanasia, and which is
based on a true story. It provides an amazing insight into the life of Ramón
Sampedro, a person who desires help in committing suicide. His attitude is
summarised in this quote by Norman Cousins: “Death is not the greatest loss in
life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”The 2004 film is
by Spaniard Alejandro Amenábar and is called “Mar Adentro” (‘The Sea Within’). It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film in 2004 as
well as 56 other awards. The acting, direction, story development and
cinematography are excellent in this film, but overall it is the raw emotional
power that it packs that makes it worthwhile. The film, despite its profound
theme is not depressing and there moments of genuine humour, tenderness, as
well as gut-wrenching emotion.This is a film
that is going to shock many people as it explores a highly emotive and
controversial topic; a film that will definitely make you think and question
your own beliefs and ethics, a film that will cause you to question your own attitudes
and thoughts about death and love, a film that will above all else make you
feel…

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WELCOME

Welcome to Nicholas V's Blog on Blogger

I have been blogging daily on this platform for several years now. It is surprising that I have persisted as the world is changing and "microblogging" is now the norm. I blog to amuse myself, make comment on current affairs, externalise some of my creativity, keep notes on things that interest me, learn something new and to surprise myself with things that I discover about this wonderful, and sometimes crazy, world we live in.

I sometimes get the impression that I am on a soapbox delivering a monologue, so your comments are welcome.